The present invention relates generally to a decorative ribbon and more particularly to a ribbon structure constructed from a thin polymer film having hemmed edges and flexible wires enclosed within the hemmed edges of the ribbon.
Decorative ribbon is used extensively on holidays and other special occasions for numerous purposes such as decorating Christmas trees, general craft applications, accenting wrapped boxes, decorating rooms, preparing floral arrangements and many other purposes.
Various inventions of this general type are known in the art, particularly in the area of Christmas tree decorations. Exemplary of this are U.S. Pat. No. 1,652,855, Fernandez; U.S. Pat. No. 2,112,723, Wisoff; U.S. Pat. No. 2,228,44I, Cohen; U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,154, Bleyer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,452, Sanders and U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,599, Vanderslice. Several disadvantages associated with the above inventions include delicate construction whereby the material of construction is easily ripped or torn, or the material tends to deteriorate rapidly. Other methods employed have a heavy, bulky construction which creates sagging such that the material cannot hold its shape. Other disadvantages include costly material and manufacturing expenses.
Some ribbons or garlands known in the art utilize a string or wire through their longitudinal center where fabric or other material is formed in cylindrical patterns. This type of design leaves the surface or edges of the ribbon loose. In the present invention a wire longitudinally supports each edge of the ribbon, thereby creating a durable construction which rigidly holds the ribbon surface and edges. The ribbon can be selectively mounted to the wires, enabling easy manipulation into the desired shape and also allowing generation of various decorative ruffle patterns.